Björn Deh's blog

I have told you a lot about what you have to do before you leave for Ohio University. Thank God that I’ve finished everything for my trip beforehand, because the last week was one of the most exciting and most exhausting weeks of my life. I have been spit on, peed on, and got a crap on my chest. There is an explanation: I became a father last Saturday, and this 4,2 kilo, 53cm bundle of joy (most of the time) has changed my life completely. The amount of sleep I usually get on a day now equals the amount of sleep I used to get throughout the whole week. But it’s worth it.

The credit card company VISA has been advertising with its catchy slogan “Life takes VISA” or as we know it in Germany “Die Welt spricht VISA”. All this has almost nothing to do with the topic I’m covering today except the word “visa”. If you are planning on going to the US to study, you have to get a J-1 visa. This allows you to study and work (only marginally employment) at the university. What is so special about getting a visa for the United States is the work effort you have to put into it to finally have one of them in your passport.

"We" in this case means Richard and I, and we will be spending 6 months at Ohio University in Athens, OH. Our blogs are the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone: YOU can get an impression of what this whole program is all about and WE can keep track of all the things/memories that we have collected. So you are probably asking yourself: "Why do they start this blog 3 months beforehand?" The answer is simple: preparation!